The Ugly Magikarp
by Merrie Khriste Masse
Summary: A water pokemon take on a classic faerie tale.


The Ugly Magikarp

Once upon a time, there was a Magikarp who was different from his brothers and sisters. I don't mean that his scales and fins were a shimmery, shiny golden color compared to the predominantly orange coloration that normal Magikarp are born with. Oh, no. Nothing like that at all. To put it bluntly, this Magikarp was ugly. His scales were a drab mottled brown and his fins - well, they were more of an off blue color - as if they had a touch of frostbite. Although his eyes contained a spark of intelligence as apposed to the blank stare that all Magikarp are inherent to - this Magikarp's eyes were circled with dark rings. Who knows? He may have spent a few too many restless nights swimming around the lake, wishing that the other local pokemon would be friendlier to him.

One day, the ugly Magikarp couldn't stand the taunting he received anymore, so he swam away from the only home that he had ever known in hopes of finding a place that he'd feel more comfortable in... one far away from the taunts and jeers that he had been subject to on a daily basis. His timing, however, could have been better. He left mid-autumn, swimming for several long weeks and as far north as the stream would allow him.

Taking a break in a small pond, he fell asleep one night. In the morning, the ugly Magikarp found that the pond had frozen over, with both streams near-completely blocked by ice. Panicking, the ugly Magikarp attempted to break through some of the ice near a spot where he felt water flow. Unfortunately, he wasn't strong enough to break through the ice. The only good that came from his painful attempt, was an unearthed cache of Oran berries that an unknown water pokemon had previously stored away in the depths of the pond.

With little to do other than eat the meager faire of Oran berries and sleep, the months passed slowly for the ugly Magikarp. The berries ran out long before the ice began to crack, so the ugly Magikarp decided to sleep, hopping that if it was his time to go, that it'd happen while he slept. Something did happen while he rested, though he wasn't aware of it happening. His body softly glowed as it elongated and changed shape. He had evolved in his sleep. Unaware of the change, even long after his hibernation had ended, the ugly Magikarp heard a commotion at one end of the pond. Cracks and patches of openings on the pond's surface had appeared as spring had brought lengthening warm days. Peering through the reeds with his head barely surfacing, he saw the most beautiful pokemon ever to have appeared along with... the ugly Magikarp wasn't sure what that two-legged scaleless creature was.

He wound up so surprised to see both the other pokemon and the -whatever it was- that he didn't realize that he'd been spotted until it was too late. The other pokemon called out to him to come closer. When he shook himself out of his stupor, he declined, saying that he had no wish to be ridiculed as he knew his appearance wasn't very appealing. The other pokemon was persistent and upon its insistence, the ugly Magikarp slowly came closer. The other pokemon identified itself as a Milotic and that she was there with her trainer, her best human friend.

The Milotic then asked why he believed himself to be ugly. He replied that it was obvious, his scales were dingy, that his fins were oddly colored. The Milotic then told him that he wasn't ugly at all. She then pointed to a reflective piece of ice that hadn't melted or cracked apart yet to prove it to him. He was, she had insisted, a Milotic just as she was. Upon looking at his reflection, he found that she was telling the truth. It came as a shock to him, as he had only known himself to be a Magikarp and he knew that Magikarp evolved into Gyarados. The trainer spoke up saying that he was never truly a Magikarp, but he was a Feebas before he evolved. Hesitant, he wasn't sure what to make of everything, yet the evidence was reflected back at himself. The trainer offered to have him on the team so that their Milotic could possibly help him with his transition. The now new Milotic happily agreed.


End file.
